Organic compound bond rupturing process



United States ORGANIC COMPOUND BOND RUPTURING PROCESS Leslie T. McClinton, Chicago, Ill., Warren M. Garrison, Walnut Creek, Calif., and Milton Burton, Mishawaka, Ind., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission No Drawing. Application August 23, 1946, Serial No. 692,728

1 Claim. (Cl. 204-154) This invention relates to a novel method of rupturing the bonds of chemical compounds and thereby cracking the compounds. The term cracking as herein contemplated is intended to include the rupture of chemical bonds, particularly carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bondsyexisting in compounds such as carbon compounds with consequent production of radicals, compounds or free elements of lower molecular Weight (or atomic weight) than the compounds from which they are derived.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that hydrocarbons and substituted hydrocarbons containing carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds may be cracked to produce compounds of lower molecular weight and/ or to release hydrogen by bombardment with high energy neutrons. The product of such cracking may be recovered as such or may be further treated during or after bombardment to produce other compositions by recombination, rearrangement or other mechamsm.

The process of cracking herein contemplated may be carried out by bombarding the compounds with high energy neutrons hawng energies well above the binding energy of chemical bonds to be ruptured. Since the neutron has a mass well below the mass of most of the molecules to be cracked, the energy of the neutron must exceed the binding energy of the bond to be ruptured by at least the minimum energy retainable by the neutron after collision with the atomic nucleus involved. Thus to rupture an aliphatic carbon-hydrogen bond, the neutron should have an energy of at least 5 electron volts and preferably at least electron volts; and to rupture a carbon-carbon bond, the neutron should have an energy of at least 12 electron volts, and preferably at least 50 electron volts. For effective radiation to produce substantial yields within a reasonable period of time, the energy of the neutrons used should not be below about 1000 electron volts and preferably should exceed 100,- 000 electron volts unless the use of a mono-chromatic beam of neutrons for selective bond rupture as hereinafter described is considered essential. Especially advantageous results are obtained by subjecting organic compounds to the irradiation generated by a neutronic reactor. Fast neutron or slow neutron reactors may be used for this purpose.

Suitable slow neutron reactors in which the irradiation may be conducted are described in United States Letters Patent, No. 2,708,656 issued to Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard and Application Serial No. 623,363, filed October 19, 1945, by Robert Christyr Such reactors comprise a fissionable isotope such as U U or 94 disposed in a neutron moderator such as deuterium oxide, water, beryllium or carbon.

Neutronic reactors operate by fission of atomsofa fis-' atent sionable isotope. These atoms, upon absorption of a neutron, fission or break up into fragments of lower mass including heavy fragments having atomic numbers approximately within the range 51 to 61 and lighter fragments having atomic numbers approximately Within the range 35 to 46. In addition to the fragments, several fast neutrons having energies of several million electron volts are given oif for each fission and substantial energy is released usually in the form of heat. The reactor is maintained in operation by establishment of a self-sustaining chain reaction wherein neutrons evolved from fission of one atom are made available for fission of more than one other atom and the chain reaction is permitted to increase in rate until a desired rate of reaction has been attained whereupon the reaction is controlled at a steady state at this level and the evolved heat removed by suitable coolants. such as air, water, steam, liquid bismuth, etc.

Radiation generated Within a neutronic reactor includes fast and slow neutron, beta, and gamma radiation. Where a neutron moderator is used in the reactor the energies of the neutrons will vary from several million electron volts to thermal energies (about 0.03 electron volt). Where little or no moderator is used, the energies of the neutrons may be largely above 100,000 electron volts. In any case, matter inserted in a neutronic reactor will be exposed to intense irradiation of neutrons having energies above 1000 to 100,000 electron volts as Well as to thermal or slow neutrons, gamma and beta radiation.

In efiecting irradiation of the compositions herein contemplated, the compositions may be introduced into the interior of a reactor as, for example, in a well designed for that purpose or through a cooling tube or tubes. Where it is found desirable to expose the composition to fast or high energy neutrons only, and in the substantial absence of beta and gamma irradiation, the irradiation may be conducted exteriorly of the reactor using, for example, a collimated beam of fast neutrons. Such a collimated beam may be secured as described in. the above-mentioned Fermi-Szilard patent by insertion of a hollow shaft or tube extending into the central portion of the reactor. Gamma rays may be screened from the fast neutron beam by means of a bismuth metal sheet extending across the path of the beam.

The carbon compounds to be treated may be introduced into the reactor or into the path. of the fast or high energy beam in a continuous flow through a conduit, or may be placed in a receptacle in the reactor or in the path of the beam and subjected to irradiation while they are substantially static. In such a static process, the compound to be bombarded may be maintained in the reactor or neutron field and the products such as gaseous or other products of. reaction such as hydrogen, methane, etc., may be withdrawn during the bombardment substantially as formed.

Generally speaking, it has been found that as a consequence of high energy neutron bombardment or bombardment in a neutronic reactor of organic carbon-hydrogen compounds a number of reactions occur. As a predominant reaction when a hydrocarbon is treated, lower molecular weight products including hydrogen and gaseous or liquid hydrocarbonsare evolved. If the irradiation is sufficiently intense and is continued long enough, the end products maybe hydrogen and methane or carbon. However, hydrocarbons between methane and the hydrocarbon bombarded may be secured by'remov- 3 ing the product of the bombardment from the neutron field before further breakdown "can "occur.

During this cracking operation or as a consequence thereof some higher molecular weight products also are secured. It seems entirely possible that these higher molecular weight products result from secondary reac tions involving polymerization of gaseous or liquidunsaturated products or combination of free radicals, after their initial production, with each other, with the initial charge material, or with intermediate products.

The exact nature of the reactions resulting is not known and it is not intended that any theoretical explanation shall be binding. From a study of the eflFects secured as a result of exposure of the compositions herein -con templated to the high energyfirradiation which is present in a neutronic. reactor, it appears that the resulting reactions are propagated by the breaking of carbon-hydrogen and/or carbon-carbon bonds. For example, when a compound of the general structure CnHz -z is subjected to high energy neutrons, collisions between the neutrons and the atomic nuclei of the compound may be expected. A neutron having an energy above about 5 electron volts colliding with a hydrogen atom in such a compound may remove the hydrogen atom from the compound with the resulting production of apair of free radicals according to'the equation Moreover, the free radicals CfiH'rzn and H and/or their reaction products may form other products byinteraction with molecules undisturbed by the bombardment as, for example, in accordance with the following equation The cracking process may be conducted at atmosphen ic pressure. Frequently it maybe desirable to subject the compositions undergoing bombardment to pressures of the order of 100300 pounds per squareinch during the treatment, 7

The cracking operation herein contemplated may be carried out at room temperature.v However, elevated temperatures frequently expedite reaction and, therefore, temperatures above 100 C., for example, 100-500" C. may be used. An advantage of the present process arises from the fact that it may be conducted at temperatures substantially below the pyrolytic decomposition temperature. Since the cracking may be conducted below those temperatures required in pyrolytic cracking processes, control of the process to secure desired results without undesirable carbonization or tarring is more easily facilitated. A further advantage of this process over pure pyrolytic cracking processes resides in the fact that in the bombardment of compounds with high energy neutrons at 100 to 500 C., chain reactions of greater length occur Without undergoing a chain-terminating reaction -than occur in other processes.

The products of the bombardmentmay be removed continuously or periodically from the product undergoin'g bombardment. For example, a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon may be circulated through a neutronic reactor and the resulting products separated by fractionation and the uncracked fractions with or withont 'fresh products recycled to the reactor. Conventional cracking, fractionatinganddistilling equipment wherein a neutronic reactor provided with passagesfor passage of the product to be crackedis substitutedlfor the conventional :pyrolytic cracking coils may be used to 'efiect the processes-herein contemplated. In the process involving treatment of liq- Hid bi 'Sblid hydrocarbons, 'both gaseous "and liquid 'Ijr'oiiucts of bombardment are usually produced. In such a case the evolved hydrogen or gaseous hydrocarbons may be separated easily from the liquid and/ or solid products and the non-gaseous residue may be fractionated or used as such. Moreover, the gaseous hydrogen or hydrocarbons evolved may be mixed-with additional solid or liquid hydrocarbons and again subjected to high energy neutron bombardment.

it will be understood that where the bombardment is conducted using neutrons having a wide band of energies, mixtures of products may be secured and various types of bonds ruptured. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a selective "rupture of chemical bonds may be secured by .use of neutrons having specific energies. For example, selective rupture of carbon-hydrogen bond-s without rupture of carbon-carbon bonds may be effected by conducting the bombardment using neutrons having energies of about 5 to 12 electrons volts, and preferably 10-12 electron volts. Preferential rupture of carbon-hydrogen bonds with only a small percentage rupture of carbon-carbon bonds may be effected with neutrons of somewhat higher energies.

,A wide range of compounds may be treated as herein contemplated, ,particularly organic compounds which contain carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds. Thus saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, :pentanes, octanes, nonanes, etc., or unsaturated aliphatics such as ethylene, vinylacetylene, propylene, isobutylene, n-butylene, butadiene, etc., or cyclic compounds including the aromatics and cycloparaffins such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene, diphenyl, an-

thracene, tetrahydronaphthalene, cyclohexane, p-cymene, diphenyl methane, triphenyl methane, cyclohexene, etc., may be cracked .by the present process. Moreover, petroleum fractions such as kerosene, naphtha, gas oil,

1 fuel oil, recycle oil, waxes, etc., may be treated by this process. In addition, substituted hydrocarbons such as lauryl chloride, oleyl chloride, octyl chlorides, or similar halides or oxygen compounds such as oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, lauric acid, lauryl alcohol, salicyl alcohol, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol or other alcohols, acids or halides may be cracked by means of fast or high energy neutrons. The following examples are illustrative.

Example 1 Seventeen parts by volume of previously purified benzene were placed in an aluminum tube extending into a well which extends into the central portion of the deuterium oxide moderated neutronic reactor described in the above-mentioned Fermi-Szilard application. The benzene was disposed in the interior of the reactor and was therefore exposed to the irradiationby neutrons ranging from about 0.03 to one or more million "electron volts as well as to beta and gamma irradiation. T heexposure was continued for a period during which the reactor released about 2.5 megawatt days and the temperature of the reactor during this period did not exceed about 70" C.

During bombardment 3.2 parts by volume (standard conditions) of gaseous products were evolved. Two

thirds of the gas formedwas found to be hydrogen. V

amount of liquid reaction product containing biphenyl and other zpolyphen'yl's. The liquid condensate-had an index of refraction (Nn 1.5021 and a bromine number of i080.

Example 2 The process ofExample 1 was repeated using purified cyclohexane, cyclohexene and tetralin in lieu of benzene with the following results:

tion except insofar as included in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

A process for the preparation of hydrogen and a polyfor example, alkyl benzenes or alkyl cyclohexanes.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to the specific details of certain embodiments thereof it is not intended that such details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the inven- 1:11 e5 Comp. Bombarded l'rolutniie a??? fg lii rlogggsu gfa' ea e ao c. Brloxngine ogrzttngal cgsrtg.) (by vol) glzsof'lgy Cyclchexana; 14.0 1. 4280 2.3 2.4 68.7 99 1 Cyel0hexene 13.8 1. 4480 205 2.1 15.6 90.3 9.7 Tetralln 11.5 1.5425 1.5 1.2 7.5 97 3 In this example, rupture of both carbon-carbon and mer from cyclohexane which comprises introducing into carbon-hydrogen took place. However, selective rupa reactor cyclohexane whereby it is bombarded by neuture of the carbon-hydrogen bonds, to produce still more trons having an energy level of about .03 to several milunsaturated compounds, can be effected by conducting lion electron volts and hydrogen is evolved, maintainthe bombardment using neutrons having energies of 5 to ing the cyclohexane in the reactor at a maximum tem- 12 electron volts. perature of 70 C. until the reactor containing the cyclo- In accordance with a further modification, the crackhexane released about 2.5 megawatt days of energy, reing operation herein contemplated may be carried out in covering the evolved hydrogen, removing from the reconjunction with other reactions for the purpose of proactor the neutron-irradiated cyclohexane product, and ducing other products. For example, the neutronic bomfractionating said product to obtain a polymer fraction. bardment herein contemplated may be conducted using a mixture of the hydrocarbon or other compound such References Cited in the file of this Patent as propane, isobutane, benzene, toluene, cyclopenta- UNITED STATES PATENTS diene, kerosene, etc., and a halogenating agent such as HCl, HBr, HF, 012, Brz, I, F2, P013, PC15, c0012, gil fg Lmgley May 1927 CHCls, CCl4, etc. Such treatment may be eifected by fi z et 1944 bombarding a gaseous mixture of the reactants or where 3 n erson 1946 the hydrocarbon to be treated is liquid, a solution of the FOREIGN PATENTS halogenating agent in the liquid may be treated. Inaddition irradiation of hydrocarbons may be effected g t sgg a ga i in the presence of other types of agents capable of etfectu U ing a replacement of hydrogen or addition to an un- OTHER REFERENCES Saturated double bondp the reaction y Science, Direct Synthesis of Higher From Lower Hybe conducted in the presence of sulphuric or sulphurous drocarbons vol. 60, No. 1555 ct 1 1924) PP- acid, S02 or sulphur, in amount suflicient to form substan- 40 3 4 3 5 tial quantities of Sulphonates, sulphides, Likewise, the Schoepfle et al.Industrial & Eng. Chem. Gaseous bombardment y be conducted in the presence of yg Products From Action of Cathode Rays of Hydrocarer a perexy compound in amount snfiieient to form aldebons, vol. 23, No. 12, (December 1931 pp. 1396-1397. y acids and/er alcohols depending p the degree Lind et aL-The Electrochemical Society, preprint f Oxidation desil'ed- Additional hydrogen y be 59-5, The Action of Electrical Discharge on Gaseous troduced particularly where aromatic compounds are Hydrocarbons (Apr 27, 1931 33 4 bombarded to facilitate formation of alkyl compounds. Dunning et 1 P i 1 Review, Interaction of Thus naphthalene y be bombarded in the presence of trons With Matter, vol. 48 (Aug. 1, 1935) pp. 265-280. hydrogen under several atmospheres pressure to form, 50 Nature, 136, 1026 (1935).

Proc. Phys. Soc. (London, 50, 438-440 (1938). Nature, 143, pg. 640 (1939). Power, pp. 56-59 (July 1940). 

